If you’re a local bookworm, odds are good you’ve attended one of the many McNally Robinson book launches, held regularly by Peg-city scribes at the flagship Grant Park location. Novelist Trevin Thomas’s Puppy + Prey began as a Creative Communications project for the current Red River student, but quickly snowballed into something much bigger.

Last May, the first ever Writing Trans Genres: Emergent Literatures and Criticism conference was held in Winnipeg. On Feb. 28, the organizers of the conference are continuing the work that started over that spring weekend with a one-day symposium.

The act of writing can be tackled in at least two ways. First, there’s the option of sitting and letting the mind spin tales of wonder and far-off lands, yet only venturing as far as the kitchen to make a new pot of coffee. Or the writer can hurl themselves into a story regardless of where in the world it may take them, or how little logic the plan contains.

If you’ve ever wondered how your favourite book becomes your favourite (or least favourite) movie, you’ll want to add Cinematheque’s From Novel to Screen - The Writer’s Imagination to your calendar. The showcase series runs from Jan. 28 until May 27 and focuses on a selection of films featuring Canadian literary or cinematic connections.

Arthur Slade wants to help you bring your supernatural realm to life. The established Saskatoon-based horror/fantasy author is coming to Winnipeg to share his secrets in a workshop hosted by the Manitoba Writers’ Guild.

Alan Doyle went from handling cod tongues to fronting Canadian folk-rock legends Great Big Sea, a journey he details in Where I Belong. Doyle has previously written some blogs on the Great Big Sea website, which caught the attention of Random House Canada. The publishing company later suggested he write a book about his life growing up.